Conveyer



w. H. REIM'ANN Sept. .28, 1943.

CONVEYER Filed April 9, ...941

Sep't. 28, 1943. H. RElMANN CONVEYER Filed April 9, 1941 s sheets-sheet 2 Sept. 28, 1943.' w, H, REHWANNl coNvEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filedpril 9, 1941 Wafn H Heimann Sept- 28, 1943- w. H. REIMANN 2,330,745

CONVEYER Filed April 9, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 el I, .l i

sept. 2s, 1943. w. H. RIMANN CONVEYER v Filed April 9, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,If/94a,

Patented Sept. 28, 1943 uNirE'osTATEs rsrsNr OFFICE it ,i -f CONVEYER" William IL'Reimann, Hialeah,` Flan` Application April e, 1941, serial No. 387,737 f1 claim. r(ci ias- 174) I This invention `relates to an improved oonveyer and more particularly to aV conveyer particularly adapted for use in conveying concrete, mortar and plasterrand other fluent mixtures in `a manner `so that the conveyed mixture will be constantly agitated While in transit to continue the mixing. thereof and to effectivelyprevent the heavier or solid ingredients of the mixture from settling and separating from the lighter or liquid ingredients. l l

Still another aim of the invention is to prolvide a conveyer which is likewise adapted for use in conveying brick, coal, crushed stone, sand, gravel, clay, grain and other similar solid or loose materials. y l

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved form of conveyer wherein the conveyer elements or blades aremoved through a conveying trough for pushing and/or pulling the material disposed in the trough and which is to be conveyed sothat the material will` be constantly agitated while in transit and so thatregardless of the length of the conveyer the mixture will be as thoroughly mixed upon reaching the outlet end of the conveyer as `when admitted thereto. l

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved endless conveyer for concrete,` mortar and plaster and similar materials, of the type previously described, and employing endless, exible `power transmitting means so arranged that there is no possibility of any part of the conveyed mixture coming in Contact with the flexible power transmitting means which, obviously, would destroy the flexibility and consequently the utility thereof. Still another'aim of the invention is to provide a self-supporting portable conveyer which is adapted to be balanced on a wheeledsupporting trucklhaving means for raising and lowering one end of the conveyer and for transporting the conveyer in directions either longitudinally or transversely of the longitudinal axis of the Iconveyer; l l Still another object of the invention is to pro# vide an improved conveyer employing endless flexible conveyer means which are trained over sprockets or pulleys at the ends of the conveyer and which are driven at a plurality` `of points intermediate of the ends of theconveyer and in oppositedirectionsto thereby'pre'vent slack in the endless conveyer and to insure that all portions of the conveyer will be driven at all times ata uniform speed. l t

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings,'which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, and

wherein- Figure 1 isa side elevational view showing improved conveyer in its entirety,

FigureZ is a top plan view of the same, Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsectional view-taken substantially along the plane ofthe line 33 of Figure 2, l

= Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the planes of the lines 4 4; 5 5, and6'6, respectively, of Figure l,

Figure *luis a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line l-l of Figure 6, `1

` Figure v8 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly in elevation,

the

of the lower, pivotally mounted end of the conveyer, l 'Figure 9 is an end view partly in section and partly in elevation of the same,

Fig; l0 isfa longitudinal horizontal sectional viewutaken substantially along the plane of the lineI-lll cfFigure8, Y

Figure 11 isa fragmentary `top plan view of a portion of the endless chain conveyer, l Figure 1,2'is la Yview similar to Figure 8 of a slightly modified form of the invention, i, Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure modifiedform,` and l Figure` 14 is' a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong `the plane cf the line llt-I4 of Figure l2. i i

` Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate ylike o of the f or corresponding parts throughout the different views, l'designates generally the conveyer in its entirety and which includes a' supporting wheeled truck,'designatedgenerally IS and a supporting frame; designated generally Il.

The wheeled `truck I6, asbest seen in Figures 1, 2,6 and 'l includes side rails, designated'generally I8; each 'of which, las best'seen in Figures `6 and 7,is formed by an H-beam I9, the web 2li of-wliich is` disposed in an upright position, and a `pair of beams 21, each of which is channel shaped in cross section and which are mounted in the-l-l-beam` I9, one onelther side of the web 2i)V thereof and which are disposed to open out-` wardly, asl seen in Figure 7. As seen in Figure 6, the channel beams 2l are provided with longitudinally disposed registering `slots or elongated openings ,22: for receiving the shank of the bolt of a nut'and bolt fastening `23 which extends w'heels of each of the pairs of sprocket wheels keyed to the shaft 85` and over a pair of sprocket wheels, not shown, keyed to the` shaftl 4I. The

Vnext pair of uprights 55, toward the upper free end of the frame I1, likewise journal a shaft 81 l which is provided. with a pair ofsprocket wheels, as shown, at each end. The outer lsprocket wheels of shafts 85 and S1 arecon'nected by -chains 88. The next pairof uprights 55, toward the free end of frame I1journal` a shaft 89 also provided at each end with a' pair of sprocket wheels. The inner sprocket wheels of shafts 81 and 89 are connected by chains 98. The shaft 19, adjacent shaft 89 is provided with a pair of sprocket wheels 9| at each end, as seen in Figure 5. Outer sprocket wheels 9| are connected to the outer sprocket wheels of shaft B9 by chains 92. The other shaft 19 is provided with one sprocket wheel at each end, as shown, which are connected by chains 93 tothe inner sprocket wheels 9|. It will thus be seen that through the chain, sprocket wheel and shaft connection just described that the sprocket wheels 80 are driven at uniform speeds and in a counterclockwise di` rection, as seen in Figure 3, by motor 3| so that the lower portion of the chains 14 will move toward the upper, outer, endv of the frame structureI1. .i

Chains 14, as best seen in Figure ll, are provided with connecting cross bars 94 having anguylar ends 95 connected by fastenings 96 to the inner sides of alternate links of chains 14. A supporting arm 91 is attached to and projects outwardly from each bar 94. vA. yieldable conveyer element or blade 98 is fastened to and projects outwardly from each arm 91. Y Arms 91 are connected to bars 94 and blades 00 `by fastenings 99 (Figure 4). The blades 98 are provided with rounded free ends andare sized to tfsnugly crosswise of the lower part of the trough 6I (Figure 4). Blades 98 terminatesubstantially below the rim of trough for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

Bars 94 have pairs of plates |00 adjacent each end and transversely thereof forming shields. Frame I1 has-aprons or shields I0| fastened to its uprights 55 and extending from end to end thereof. Aprons |0I extend inwardly and downwardly of frame |1 and open between the pairs of plates` |00 and above trough 6I. The trough I is provided at its rim with the flanges |02 which extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom and which terminate beneath the bars 94 and on the outer sides of the pairs of plates |00. The shields |03 are attached to the upper portions of the upper channel beams 54 and extend upwardly and inwardly over the upper portions of the chains 14 and are provided with downwardly and inwardly extending free ends which terminate adjacent the outer sides of the pairs of plates |00.

The supporting arms 91 are provided with eyelets |04 on their rear sides andthe blades 98 are provided with eyelets |05 on their forward sides and adjacent their outer, free ends. The eyelets |04 and |05 are connected by flexible drag means such as the chains |06 in a manner so that each of the blades 93 is connected to the next preceding supporting arm 91, as best seen in Figures 3 and 8. u

Asbestseen in Figure 8, a trough section |01, which is slightly larger than the trough 6| has an end telescoping over the lower end of the trough 6I and forming a continuation thereof. Theopposite end |08 of the troughsection |01 is curved upwardly and disposed concentric to the sprocket wheels 13. A hood or cover |09 is disposed over the sprocket wheels 13 and engages over a portion .of the trough section |01. The hood |09 is provided with outwardly projecting apertured ears VI I0 having apertures arranged to register with apertures in corresponding ears III of the plate 69 and which are connected by fastenings |I2 for detachably mounting the hood |09 in position, as illustrated in Figure 8.

The `opening I I3 in the frame structure I1ad jacent its lower end forms a hopper `through which the material to be conveyed upwardly through the trough 0I is discharged into the trough. i

The conveyer I5, illustrated in Figures 1 to 1l, inclusive, may be made in various sizes with the frame structure I1 of various lengths up to approximately sixty feet and with the trough 6I of various widths. The drag chains |05 are provided only if the conveyer I5 is of a relatively small size to prevent the chains 14 from kinking and buckling and to prevent the blades 98 from bending back under the load being conveyed through the trough 6I and thereby permitting parts of the load to be released. On larger sized machines l5 whereheavy chains which will not kink or buckle are used and where the blades 99, which are preferably `formed of rubber, are thicker and of a heavier construction the drag chains |06 may be omitted because the blades 98 are sufficiently rigid to withstand the pressure of a normalload conveyed thereby.

The conveyer I5 is adapted to be towed on its ground wheels 20 to the location where it is to beused after which the truck I6 is preferably jacked up and the wheels 29 removed from the axles 25 and applied to the axles 28 so that the truck i6 may be moved laterally to better ac commodate it to be positioned so that its outlet 63 will be over the point where the material` conveyed by the machine l5 is desired to be discharged.` The hoist means 39 is then operated by the motor 3| to raise the outer, free end of the frame structure |1 to the desired elevation. The hoist means 39 includes suitable clutch means, not shown, for disengaging it from the motor 3| and suitable means for applying a brake thereto to retain the frame structure I1 in an inclined position. The motor 3| is then employed to cause the endless chains 14 and the conveyer blades 98, carried thereby, to be moved in the direction, previously described, and indicated by the arrow, designated H4, in Figure 1. The chains 14 are driven by the chain, sprocket wheel and shaft driving means previously described, which drive the sprocket wheels and one ofthe particular advantagesof the invention resides in the fact that instead of driving the chains 14 from one ofthe ends of the frame structure-I1, as is the conventional manner, the chains14 are driven at two spaced points intermediate `of their ends and in opposite directions so that both the upper and the lower portions of the chains 14 will be driven simultaneously at uniform speeds to preventthe chains 14 from sagging or dragging. The chains 14, as seen in Figure 3, are trained under the idler sprocket Wheels lli. ifor not only tensionmg'them but for insuring that the chains rengage the teeth ,oi the sprocket 'wheels SG in the returx'l movement' oi the conveyer elements 98 vtowards the lower end of `:the frame structure ITI. The stub shafts Il3 are spaced Vto permit the blade elements 9d and their supporting arms 9'1 to pass therebetween. Gbviously, the idler sprocket Awheels l maybe' adjusted relatively to the frame structure 171 'by means of the bolts 63 and nuts le, as previously described, for tensioning the chains lil. The diameters of the sprocket wheels i3' are such that the chains 'i4 can pass thereover without the blades Q8 being bent excessively yby the drag members Ifll, as illustrated ,in Figure 8. The

blades 9B passing around the sprocket wheels- 13 will move into the open en-d of the upturned portion Hi8 of the extensible sectionV `IIll from Where they will'move into the lower end ofv the trough '6I where each A blade 98 in `turn will pick up a .load of the material to be conveyed whichl is being discharged into the lower end ol the trough 6I from the hopper IIE. The extensible trough .section lill is provided to preventany of the matter to beconveyed from `draining back to the trough el and being lost through its open, lower end. The trough section I Jl is made ex` tensible so that it can be extended to accommodate 'itself tothe various positions of the sprocket Wheels i3.

' As best seen in Figures 4 and '5, the blades or conveyer elements 5B nt snugly within the rounded bottom oi the trough 6I and extend from side to :side thereof but terminate substantially below the level of the rim of the trough 5I so that the spaces iin the trough `6I between the blades 9B cannot be overloaded -to an extent that the material being conveyed will overflow the rim of the trough 6I and possibly reach the vchains 14. Should any oil these aioredescribed spaces in the trough 5I be overloaded, the material would merely iiow over the blades Q8 without escaping from the trough @I and to the next space therebehind. Obviously, if concrete, mortar, plaster or similar material, not shown, is being conveyed, after the material has been carried by the blades 98 to the upper end of the trough 6I and is discharged 'therefrom into the outlet conduit 153 and the blades 9B have passed around the idler sprocket wheels 6l, some of the conveyed material will have adhered to the blades 98 and will drip therefrom as the blades 98'move back toward the lower end of the vframe structure I l. Most of this material, as illustrated 'in Figures 4 and 5, will drop directly back into the trough 6I while some of the material will drip onto 'the shields' IUI and flow therefrom into the trough 6I. The remainder will drip either onto the shields ISS or the plates I and drip from either point onto the shields IGI and eventually return to the trough @l so that none of the material can possibly come into contactwith thechains M. This is'obviously a very important and critical feature ofthe applicants invention since should material such as cement, plaster or mortar come into contact with the chains 'I4 this material would obviously dry while the machine I5 was not in operation and thereafter prevent the chains I4 from iiexing and consequently prevent operation of the rna-y chine and this is true regardless of the type of endless flexible conveyer that might be substituted for the chains '14.

In most conveyers for conveying cement, mortar or plaster, the material is carried by endless conveyer means. In the applicants invention; on the other hand, the material is pushed and/or pulled by the blades -98 in the trough 6I and oonsequently the material is constantly agitated while in transit so that the material will be mixed as thoroughly or more thoroughly when it is discharged into the outlet 63 as when it was discharged into the trough 6I.

The truck I6 is provided with the extensible side rails I8 so that it can Vbe extended for properly balancing the weight of the upper, free end of the frame structure Il regardless of its angle of inclination. In towing the machine I 5 to different jobs where it is to be employed `the frame structure I I is preferably disposed in a horizontal position and thetflooring 30 is therefore provided with the upstanding abutments H5 on which a portion of the frame Structure I'l can rest for balancing-it on the truck I6.

`Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a slightly modied form of the machine, designated generally I5 and Which is like the machine l5 in every respect except that it is only adaptable to the larger sized machines which are not provided with the drag members and instead of the plates El?, the machine I5' is provided with plates 69 having two pairs of bearing bracket li for journaling two shafts I2 on each of which is keyed two small 'idler sprocket wheels I3 over which are trained the chains 'I4 and which are adjustable by the bolts 68 and nuts 'Iii for tensioning the chains lll. The construction of the machine I 5 is obviously not adaptable for a conveyer provided with the drag members |06 because the blades 9B which are adjacently disposed at times assume positions substantially at right angles'to one another and would therefore be required to bend excessively. The operation of the machine I5' is identical with that of the machine I5, previously described, and a further description thereof is therefore deemed unnecessary.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

A conveyer comprising a support, an elongated upwardly opening trough disposed therein, an upper and a lower pair of inwardly opening channel members mounted in the support and above the trough, driven endless conveyer chains mounted to move through the channel members, said chains and channel members being spaced laterally away from the trough, transverse bars connecting corresponding portions of thevchains, supporting members secured to and projecting outwardly from the bars, conveyer elementsA attached to said supporting members and constructed and arranged to move longitudinally through the trough for conveying material disposed therein, said supporting members being formed of rigid material and being rigidly connected to the bars, said conveyer elements being formed of yieldable material, and ilexible drag members connecting each of the conveyer elements to the supporting member of the next preceding conveyer element.

' WILLIAM H. REIMANN. 

